Help Needed: Ethical Dilemma

[Kirsten]

I am currently studying towards an Access Diploma in Physiotherapy with a view to starting my degree next year. My present assignment is to write an essay about an ethical dilemma in physiotherapy, with the dilemma being:

'Putting time and resources into sports injuries which are self-inflicted because a person wants to do the sport, when the same time and resources could be used for someone dealing with the effects of something they have no control over.'

I have no clue where to even start with this essay. Could anyone point me in the right direction? I would really appreciate any help.

Kirsten

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[powerwalker]

I would read up on the sports training industry and compare it to physical/occupational therapy programs in schools. Typically, the people who work in schools get paid less. Alot of this issue has to do with the fact that pro athletes or sports teams are willing to pay much more money for surgeries or therapy, where parents with children who have conditions are relying on the schools to provide therapy and care.

[Fyzzio]

Hi,
sorry mate, but I don't think you got the idea of her assignement - it's about ethics not about availability of services.

Your topic, Kirsten is a really hard one.
I would start with putting a list of pros and cons together for each scenario (i.e compare a typical sports injury with a degenerative/ medical disease in the same area of the body), then transfer that into a SWAT analysis.
That way, you should have some good starting points.

I can just think of a Neuro example, comparing a Rugby player with a moderate head injury to someone with hemiplegia after brain cancer......
But there will be easier one, I'm sure.....

Wonder, whether you might find, that most problems that we (as Physios) deal with are in a certain way self-inflicted, may it be by putting ourselves at risk when we get into a car and drive in rush hour traffic, lift a crying child up, who might be heavy, eat too much and lead a not-so-healthy-liefstyle, ....

Good luck,
Fyzzio